We are dam irritated with Jispa’s school class teacher. We
have had a series of issues. It started by her wrongly correcting Jispa on the
light year concept, then came a few more incidents and these days Jasmine and
me are completely pissed off as she doesn’t even bother to explain the concepts
properly. On the weekend I was given the task of explaining different plants to
Jispa. Especially the carnivorous plants. These were the Pitcher Plant and the
Venus Fly trap. Normally Jispa always came in understanding the concepts very
well but this time I realized she knew very little. And she was just given
worksheets to memorize or learn from. So
I decided to teach her properly.
Now I also don’t know exactly how the mechanisms work. From
the explanations it seemed obvious that the Venus fly trap simply smashed shut
it leaves, but the pitcher plant seemed more complex. Here is the picture of
the Pitcher plat. Looking at it, it seems obvious that the top part closes in
after the insect is within grasp.
But that is not the truth. Thanks to power of youtube, you
realize that the top leaf is practically immobile. The Ants slip in thanks to
the fine waxy layer at the edges. They first get drawn by the nectar at the
sides and then they simply slip into the pouch which is a deadly concoction
that helps digest the insect. Lovely isn’t it. See this video for the whole
truth.
The uglier and more sinister looking one is the Venus Fly
trap. This video on youtube is very good and makes you feel bad for the fly.
But one thing you are sure of – Jispa won’t forget this in a hurry. See it.
Highly recommended. http://youtu.be/O7eQKSf0LmY
Then yesterday jasmine was also pissed that the teacher
doesn’t even explain words and other stuff. She just reads out and expects kids
to understand. This was corroborated with Jispa. According to her , the teacher
just reads and then if you ask for a certain meaning, her standard response is
that in fourth grade you guys should know. Jasmine was super-duper pissed when Jispa was given
worksheets for horizontal division without the teacher explaining how its done.
For example solving 330/11. Which you have to do without using the standard
horizontal method. Jasmine had to explain this to Jispa.
So in the evening Jasmine and me discussing this and we both
were cribbing when I just turned around and said, “great. We always wanted to
be involved parents, right? This is the perfect opportunity. I am ok teaching
whatever is required to Jispa. In any case I do a better job of it. I love
teaching and I think this is my life’s calling. What better than to teach my
own daughter”. I guess this is the best thing that happened.
I told Jispa the next day – don’t bother about school stuff.
What we will do is that you tell me what all you are studying over the weekend
or over dinner and I will teach you how it works. We will use Videos and
internet and learn the real stuff. Her teacher also taught her that the pitcher
plant closes the top leaf as a trap. Let’s learn the real thing. Exactly how it
happens and what all else we can learn from it.
This also helps me and my general knowledge. The other day I
learnt that Delhi while having a chief minister and a high court is not exactly
a state. It is still a Union territory and has some special privileges that
help it get managed as a state. So that’s your favorite quiz question, Is Delhi
a State? One idiot in office challenged me. He even put 1000 bucks on the table
in a brazen act befitting a brash North Indian (sorry for racial prejudices). I
told him don’t do it, I just taught my daughter that and I looked up Wikipedia and
the internet and it’s a UT with special privileges. Don’t bet. He still bet. He
lost. I gave him back his thousand. He was serious on his bet so I took a
hundred and that should have taught him a good lesson. Don’t bet with a man who
kid goes to the fourth grade. Just don’t.
From wiki entry on Delhi -
“The name Delhi is
often also used to include urban areas near the NCT, as well as to refer to New
Delhi, the capital of India, which lies within the metropolis. Although
technically a federally administered union territory, the political
administration of the NCT of Delhi today more closely resembles that of a state
of India with its own legislature, high court and an executive council of
ministers headed by a Chief Minister. New Delhi, jointly administered by both
the federal Government of India and the local Government of Delhi, is also the
capital of the NCT of Delhi.”
